Structural beam for supporting concrete flooring

ABSTRACT

A structural beam for supporting concrete flooring including a base part and an integral web extending upwardly from said base part. An inverted U-shaped cap is mounted over the upper margin of the web. The U-shaped cap has a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse slots in its upper portion and includes outturned flanges extending oppositely and laterally from the web. The flanges of the cap are adapted to support deck plates which extend between adjacent parallel beams and over which the concrete flooring is to be poured.

United States Patent {72] Inventor Frank E. Miller lElkhan, 1nd. [2|] Appl. No, 800,326 22 Filed 1:11.21, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 3, 1971 [73] Asaignee Elklmrt Bridge 8; llrn Cornpnny Elithart, ind.

[54] STRUCTURAL BEAM FOR SUPPORTING CONCRETE FLOORING 4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.3. C1 52/333, 52/334, 52/338, 52/687 [51] Int. Cl E0 11 5/410 [50] Field otsearch 52/326, 327, 332-336, 687, 338

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,712 1/1912 Lindau 52/684 1,725,501 8/1929 Yeager 52/335 1,924,035 8/1933 Goldsmith 52/329 2,271,592 2/1942 Hilpert 52/684 2,636,377 4/1953 Hilpert 52/334 3,195,209 6/1965 Klausner 52/326 FOREIGN PATENTS 213,606 1961 Austria 52/329 1,374,900 1964 France 52/334 508,272 1930 Germany 52/326 827,093 1960 Great Britain.v 52/334 Primary Examiner1-lenry C. Sutherland Attorney-Oltsch & Knoblock ABSTRACT: A structural beam for supporting concrete flooring including a base part and an integral web extending upwardly from said base part. An inverted U-shaped cap is mounted over the upper margin of the web. The U-shaped cap has a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse slots in its upper portion and includes out-turned flanges extending uppositely and laterally from the web. The flanges of the cap are adapted to support deck plates which extend between adjacent parallel beams and over which the concrete flooring is to be poured.

PATENIED AUB 3 I971 SHEET 1 OF 2 lwvlswwR. FRANK E. M/LLER gjiwi 4: Wk

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDAUB 3am 3,590,421

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FRANK E. M/LLER ATTOR/VE Y STRUCTURAL BEAM FGII SUFFGII'IING CGNIIIIIE'IIE II LGGNING SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved structural beam for supporting concrete flooring. The beam includes a base part and an integral web extending upwardly from said base part. An inverted U-shaped cap is mounted over the upper margin of said web and extends substantially the length of the beam. Said cap has a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse slots in its upper portion and includes out-turned flanges extending oppositely and laterally from said web. The flanges of said cap are adapted to carry concrete-supporting deck plates which extend between adjacent parallel beams.

The structural beam of this invention minimizes the weight per unit length of beam and also minimizes the time required to assemble the beam in preparation for the pouring of concrete over the deck plates. Further, this beam consists of component parts which are so correlated that a structurally strong support is provided having maximum weight-bearing strength per pound of beam weight.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a structural beam for supporting concrete flooring which is of maximum weight-bearing strength per unit weight of the beam.

It is another object of this invention to provide a structural beam for supporting concrete flooring which can be rapidly assembled and setup with concrete reinforcing means at the construction site in preparation for the pouring of concrete flooring.

It is another object of this invention to provide a structural beam which serves as a composite support member with the concrete flooring and which is of simplified and strong construction.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the invention s description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of one construction of the structural beam of this invention showing the supported concrete flooring with parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the structural beam and concrete flooring taken along line $2 of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing one means of joining component parts of the beam.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of an Ibeam illustrating a method of forming the structural beam shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the concrete flooring and support deck showing a service conduit positioned therein.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing another means of joining component parts of the beam.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the joint shown in FIG. ti.

FIG. 8 is a detail view of the parts forming the joint of FIG. a prior to assembly thereof.

FIG. 9 is a detail view illustrating the manner by which the joint of FIG. b is formed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and their application and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

The structural beam illustrated in FIGS. I to 3 includes an upstanding web It) and an integral horizontal base flange or part 11 at its lower margin. Web III preferably has a series of spaced grooves or inset portions (not shown) in its upper margin 44. An inverted U-shaped cap I5 having spaced sidewalls III which are interconnected by a bend 42 is mounted upon web III with its sidewalls db receiving the upper margin of web Ill therebetween and with its bend d2 abutting the upper edge of web III. The bend d2 and adjacent portions of walls as of cap Id have a series of spaced slots I7 formed therein. Each slot I7 registers with a groove in the upper margin Ml of web lb. Cap I5 includes out-tumed substantially horizontal flanges In which are each formed at the lower margin sidewalls d0. Flanges I6 of cap I5 preferably extend oppositely and laterally from web It). Cap I5 is preferably fixedly secured to web III as by welding.

A multiple return bent or zigzag-shaped reinforcing rod I8 having spaced transverse runs as interconnected by longitudinal runs dd extends lengthwise of web It) with its runs 46 received within slots 17 of cap I5 and preferably within the registering grooves in web III as best shown in FIG. I. The longitudinal runs db extend in substantially equal laterally spaced relation to and at opposite sides of the cap 15, and the runs 46 extend in a plane at an angle to and preferably perpendicular to the plane of web It). Rod Id may be secured to cap by welds I9 illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6-9 illustrate an alternate swaged construction. Thus, to swage the portions of runs as of rod Id received in slots I7 of cap Id, each slot I7 of cap I5 and registering groove of web It} is of a dimension to receive therein a run d6 of rod 18 with clearance, as shown in FIG. d. A swagging tool 25 is positioned to straddle the rod run as within each cap slot I7 and forced or hammered against cap I5 and the straddled portion of run as of rod Id. Tool 25 has spaced projections 26 which engage and are driven into the bend 42 of cap 15 at each side of slot I7 to form tabs 2% in cap I5 and deflect them to engage and clamp run as of rod Id, as shown in FIG. 9. Tool 25 also includes bosses 29 which are located between and inset from the tips of projections 26 and which deform or recess said run to form laterally spaced and oppositely extending cars 31 in rod Id. Each ear BI of rod Id preferably overlaps and interloclcingly engages a tab 28 in cap I5.

To construct the structural beam of this invention, a commercially available l-beam d0, shown in FIG. I, having spaced parallel flanges II interconnected by a web 10 may be utilized. A series of longitudinally spaced apertures 13' are preferably formed in web Ill. Each aperture 13' is preferably equally spaced from flanges ll of the I-beam 50. Apertures I3 may be formed by any convenient means, such as punching or drilling. I-beam $0 is then split longitudinally and centrally of web It) by any convenient means, such as a cutting torch or saw to form two T-sections. The split line of beam 50 along web III is preferably straight and bisects apertures 13 therein as shown by solid line I2 in FIG. 4. As an alternative, the split line may be of sinuous or undulating configuration as shown by broken line M in FIG. d. Once the I-beam 50 is split, the cap I5 is mounted over the web II) of a T-section with its slots I7 in registry with grooves in the web formed from bisected apertures I3. Cap 115 is then preferably welded to web I0. Return bent reinforcing member I8 is then positioned atop cap I5 with portions of its runs as received within slots I7 of the cap. The engaging portions of each cap slot 17 and run as of rod I8 are then welded or swaged together, as heretofore described.

The assembled structural beams are positioned parallel to and laterally spaced from each other. A deck plate 20, which may be of corrugated form as shown in FIGS. I and 2, is positioned between webs III of adjacent. beams and is spaced above beam flanges II by supporting engagement of its longitudinal margins with flanges Id of adjacent beams. Concrete 49 is poured over and supported by the plates to a depth sufficient to cover the bend d2 of each cap I5 and the attached reinforcing rod III to desired extent. Flanges lb of each cap 15 and the supporting web III are of sufficient strength to support deck plates 20 and the wet concrete W. If desired, additional reinforcing wire till may be laid over the deck plates 20 and support beams prior to pouring of the concrete, such reinforcing being located at any selected elevation and preferably being supported by the beams and the reinforcing rods Ill.

Should service ducts be required to house wiring or conduits, tubular members 52 may be laid upon deck plates 20 between adjacent parallel beams, as shown in F IG. 5. Registering apertures (not shown) are suitably formed in the upper margin of web and sidewalls 40 of cap so as to permit tubular members 52 to extend through the supporting beams. When utilizing l-beams $0 split along a sinuous split line 14 as shown in FIG. 4, the upper margin of web 10 will contain notches which permit passage therethrough of tubular members 52, assuming that registering apertures are formed in the cap 15.

What I claim is:

1. In combination in a floor structure, a plurality of spaced parallel beams each having a vertical elongated web and a laterally projecting base, an elongated member of inverted U- shape in cross section fitting upon the upper margin of said web and having opposite laterally projecting flanges spaced above said base, a longitudinal reinforcing bar of zigzag shape having spaced transverse portions secured to the upper part of said elongated member spaced above said flanges, transverse reinforcing bars supported by and extending between said beams, plates extending between said beams and supported by said flanges, and a monolithic concrete slab supported by said plates and imbedding said longitudinal and transverse reinforcing bars and the upper part of said elongated member.

2, the combination defined in claim 1, wherein an elongated member and a longitudinal reinforcing bar are fixedly secured to each beam.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the upper portions of each elongated member and beam web have longitudinally spaced registering recesses in which transverse portions of said longitudinal reinforcing bar seat and are welded.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the upper portions of each elongated member and beam web have longitudinally spaced registering recesses in which transverse portions of said longitudinal reinforcing bar seat, said elongated member and web at opposite sides of said recesses including swaged parts securing said transverse portions of said longitudinal reinforcing bar. 

1. In combination in a floor structure, a plurality of spaced parallel beams each having a vertical elongated web and a laterally projecting base, an elongated member of inverted Ushape in cross section fitting upon the upper margin of said web and having opposite laterally projecting flanges spaced above said base, a longitudinal reinforcing bar of zigzag shape having spaced transverse portions secured to the upper part of said elongated member spaced above said flanges, transverse reinforcing bars supported by and extending between said beams, plates extending between said beams and supported by said flanges, and a monolithic concrete slab supported by said plates and imbedding said longitudinal and transverse reinforcing bars and the upper part of said elongated member.
 2. the combination defined in claim 1, wherein an elongated member and a longitudinal reinforcing bar are fixedly secured to each beam.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the upper portions of each elongated member and beam web have longitudinally spaced registering recesses in which transverse portions of said longitudinal reinforcing bar seat and are welded.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the upper portions of each elongated member and beam web have longitudinally spaced registering recesses in which transverse portions of said longitudinal reinforcing bar seat, said elongated member and web at opposite sides of said recesses including swaged parts securing said transverse portions of said longitudinal reinforcing bar. 